Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

"You can't reach the brain till you go through the heart" - Joe Dombrowski I'm thrilled to welcome back Joe Dombrowski (@mrDtimes3) to the show after our wonderful episode on Plants in the Classroom a couple of years ago. Since then a lot has changed, Joe and I have become IRL friends (I was able to visit him in 2019 and we took an amazing trip to the Amazon Spheres together which you'll hear about in the episode), Joe has become a full time comedian AND... classrooms are looking very different these days. Since many kids are home with the pandemic, Joe and I thought we'd put together a list of fun planty experiments and projects to do with kids while we spend this time at home together. There is a project for every type of kid and every age. We hope this episode helps with ideas to get children (or adult children like us!) off of their phones and into the dirt and getting curious about plants. Please share your projects with us on instagram! @mrdtimes3 & @bloomandgrowradio Have you taken the 2020 Bloom and Grow Radio Listener Survey - Please take 5 minutes to take this survey and be a part of the future of Bloom and Grow Radio and Media! I did this survey 2 years ago and it was INSTRUMENTAL in planning episode topics and community resources. I can't wait to hear from you! In this episode we learn: Joe and Maria remember their trip to the Amazon Spheres together Joe's opinion on kids going back to school [12:25] Project 1: Seed Germination in a Bag [19:50] Project 2: Sweet Potato Experiment and understanding the scientific process Project 3: Pothos Propagation 3 Ways Project 4: Fairy Gardens and Terrariums Project 5: List of Interactive Plants for Kids Joe's list of his personal favorite plants in his collection Joe's most recent plant parent win For photos and instructions for these projects, check the blog for today's podcast  https://bloomandgrowradio.com/kids/ Mentioned in this episode: Episode 23: Plants in the Classroom with @mrdtimes3 Maria's new tiktok account Bloom and Grow Youtube Channel Here is a link to the book A Family Guide to Terrariums Mushroom Grow Kits! This is my favorite one from Back to the Roots! Back to the Roots Fishtank Water/Microgreen Garden Maria's episode on JOE's podcast, Social Studies   Thank you to our episode sponsors: Soltech Solutions Luxury Grow Lights: Whether its simply getting through the lower light winter- or if you’re like me and you’ve just got too many plants  and too few windows and need to bring more light indoors so your collection can keep growing- Soltech Solutions has the luxury lighting option for you! Soltech is offering BAGR listeners 20% off with code 20BLOOM at soltechsolutions.com once again thats soltechsolutions.com and code 20BLOOM at checkout for 20%off. Thank you Territorial Seed Co for sponsoring today's episode! Territorial Seed Co provides high quality seeds and plants (over 2000 varieties) that are tried and tested on their 75 acre farm and have a ton of fall varieties for us to try! For seeds, their online garden planner, how to videos and more visit TerritorialSeed.com and use code BLOOM20 for 20% off. Follow Joe Website: https://www.mrdtimes3.com/ Podcast: https://studyhall.libsyn.com/ Instagram: @mrdtimes3 Tiktok: @mrdtimes3 Merch Shop: https://www.shopmrdtimes3.com/ Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Bloom and Grow Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle) Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So thrilled to welcome Chris Satch back to the show for an UNBELIEVABLE, comprehensive conversation on all things WATERING! We cover everything from top watering, bottom watering, troubleshooting, how to identify root rot and many listener questions. This is not an episode to miss if you have any questions around watering your plants! Have you taken the 2020 Bloom and Grow Radio Listener Survey - Please take 5 minutes to take this survey and be a part of the future of Bloom and Grow Radio and Media! I did this survey 2 years ago and it was INSTRUMENTAL in planning episode topics and community resources. I can't wait to hear from you! Check out my youtube video on how I water my plants In this episode we learn: [5:00]What Chris is loving in his collection lately A quick overview on how to propagate fern spores How to grow mosses [12:30] What BAGR listeners are struggling with when it comes to how to water your plants [13:00] Why is watering so important to our plants? [14:20] What are xylem and phloem and how do the affect watering? [15:40] What is transpiration? [16:20] The connection between soil moisture and light [18:18] How humidity affects transpiration and our plants watering schedules [21:15] What are microclimates and how do they affect humidity [23:30] Watering Hack #1: Group Plants with Similar Needs Together [24:50] Chris's opinion on Top Watering Vs Bottom Watering [26:20 ] Best Top Watering Practices [29:00] Maria's (STRONG) opinion about care cards and watering instructions [30:50] What does "water when dry" mean- how many inches of soil should the top of the soil dry out [32:42] Watering Hack #2: Use the pot weight to understand how heavy soil saturation feels and get to know how a dry pot feels like as well [36:20] What is the ideal temperature for watering your plants [36:50] How to leave water in the catch tray of your pot with drainage [ 40:20] Best Bottom Watering Practices [42:10] Chris's issues with Bottom Watering [46:34] Root Rot: what it is, how do we fix it, how can we avoid it [48:30] Signs that you've under watered your plant [48:40] Signs that you've over watered your plant [49:50] Maria's honest experience about overwatering her plants this year [55:30] How Chris saves his plants from root rot [55:50] Chris's (STRONG) opinion about self watering pots [1:01:22] The truth about spritzing (you might not like this) [1:01:53] How brown tips can actually be a sign on fungal infection and not humidity or underwatering [1:06] How to use fungicide to treat brown edges on a plant [1:07] Why using warm water is important for watering [1:07:30] Where the ice cube watering myth started, why it's bogus and why you shouldn't use this method [1:08] Tap water vs distilled water vs rain water = does the type of water you water your plants with actually matter? [1:10:00]What white spots on leaves are and how to remove them [1:10:10]  Hack # 3: use lemon juice to remove white spots on leaves [1:11:43] When during the day should you water? [1:11:55] Do you water your plant before you repot? or leave it with dry soil? Mentioned in our conversation: Episode 97: How to Care for Ferns with Lisa from Houseplant Guru Maria's Youtube Video on How I Water My Plants Maria's Youtube video on The Perched Water Table and Drainage How Maria saved her variegated Watermelon Peperomia from Root Rot Thanks to our episode sponsors! Espoma Organics: for responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here. Soltech Solutions Luxury Grow Lights: Whether its simply getting through the lower light winter- or if you’re like me and you’ve just got too many plants  and too few windows and need to bring more light indoors so your collection can keep growing- Soltech Solutions has the luxury lighting option for you! Soltech is offering BAGR listeners 20% off with code 20BLOOM at soltechsolutions.com once again thats soltechsolutions.com and code 20BLOOM at checkout for 20%off.   Follow Chris Instagram: @botanictonic Website: christophersatch.com   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Bloom and Grow Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle) Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 2020 Bloom and Grow Radio Listener Survey is live!- Please take 5 minutes to take this survey and be a part of the future of Bloom and Grow Radio and Media! I did this survey 2 years ago and it was INSTRUMENTAL in planning episode topics and community resources. We had 1000 people complete the survey last time, so my goal for this survey is 3000 planty listeners! I can't wait to hear from you! At this point in the growing season, I'm sure we all have some beautifully bushy herb plants... and maybe no ideas of what to make with them. Today's episode is focused on getting these homegrown herbs into our bellies! (If you want help learning how to grow herbs, check out Episode 22: Windowsill Herb Gardening). I’ve connected with some brilliant female chefs who share their favorite herb inspired recipes! Each chef chose an herb, they share why they love it in recipes so much and then educates us on how to cook their favorite dish inspired by their herb!  The first chunk of this episode is three powerhouse professional chefs who guide us through a LOT of helpful cooking and herb pairing info with mouth watering recipes. Then stay tuned to the end, where Billy shares his famous pesto recipe and my Italian Mom, Mama Failla, shares two sauces you can make with a bounty from the garden.  Cooking food that I’ve grown myself has been one of the most rewarding parts of my plant parenthood journey, I hope this episodes not only gets you growing but gets you cooking too! Make sure to report back to me and these chefs on IG about what you make! In this episode we learn: [6:50]  Getting to know Chef Serena Wolf and her thoughts on using Mint in recipes [16:50] MINT (and BASIL)Watermelon Salad with Tomato, Feta and Herb Vinaigrette Recipe breakdown and tips [30:30] Getting to know Chef Priyanka and learn about Coriander/Cilantro and how she uses it in recipe [36:55] Coriander Vs Cilantro and how to cook with it's 3 components: Seed, Stem and Leaf [40:00] Chef Priyanka's balance of Sweet, Salty, Spicy, Bitter and Umami and how Coriander plays a strong role in that [43:19] CORIANDER Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric, Fennel Seed and Dates [50:20] Getting to know Pastry Chef (and high school friend) Becca Newman [58:00] Becca breaks down the flavor profile of Lemon Verbena [1:01:26] Becca's philosophy of "what grows together, goes together" [1:01] LEMON VERBENA Cherry Chocolate and Lemon Verbena Ice Box Cake Recipe [1:17:40] Other herb options to substitute into the Ice Box Cake recipe if you don't have lemon verbena [1:21:33] BASIL with BILLY! And his famous walnut pesto recipe (we also reveal who we have a couples crush on) [1:24:10] Why Billy uses walnuts instead of pine nuts in his pesto [1:31:22] ROSEMARY Mama Failla's Rosemary Bolognese [1:38:35] SAGE Mama Failla's Butter and Sage Boiled Potatoes [1:41] PARSLEY AND THYME Mama Failla's Famous Polpetti! (Meat balls!) Recipes Mentioned in Today's Episode: Serena's recipe for Watermelon Salad with Tomato, Feta and Herb Vinaigrette Chef Priyanka's recipe for Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric Fennel Seed Dates  Chef Priyanka's BONUS recipe for  Vegan Indian Stuffed French Toast Becca's Cherry Chocolate and Lemon Verbena Ice Box Cake Mama Failla and Billy's Recipes for Rosemary Bolognese, Sage and Butter Sauce, Mama Failla's Meatballs and Billy's Famous Walnut Pesto!  Check out the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show with Videos of Mama Failla and Billy making their recipes! Mama Failla makes Rosemary Bolognese Billy makes Walnut Pesto Territorial Seed Fast Fall Gardening Fact: After you make your own pesto or Sauce from Billy and mom’s recipes with freshly harvested garlic- enjoy that flavor all year by freezing the sauce. We suggest filling a sealable freezer bag with the fresh pesto and smoothing it flat so you have about a ½” to ¾” layer. Then seal the bag and freeze. When you need a little pesto flavor, just break off a chunk and toss it into your recipe! I can’t wait to make pesto and bolognese next season with the territorial seed company garlic we are starting this fall! Thank you Territorial Seed Co for sponsoring today's episode! Territorial Seed Co provides high quality seeds and plants (over 2000 varieties) that are tried and tested on their 75 acre farm and have a ton of fall varieties for us to try! For seeds, their online garden planner, how to videos and more visit TerritorialSeed.com and use code BLOOM20 for 20% off.   Follow Serena https://domesticate-me.com/ Instagram Serena's Recipe for Watermelon Salad with Tomato, Feta and Herb Vinaigrette   Follow Priyanka www.chefpriyanka.com Instagram  LinkedIn Twitter Facebook   Follow Becca Instagram    Follow Billy Instagram   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Take the Bloom and Grow Radio 2020 Listener Survey!  It’s always a pleasure to have my #plantfriendIRL Danae from Folia Collective back on the show. Danae is a beloved guest of BAGR from her episode on How to Start a Plant Shop. The Folia Collective shops are in Los Angeles and she has created an epic planty brand for herself and her shops that filled with the most gorgeous, varied plants and beautiful plant accessories.  Danae has always had an unbelievable eye for design and style and so it makes complete sense that she was tapped to write her new book which just came out:Houseplants for All: How to Fill Any Home with Happy Plants  This is a really unique book at the intersection of Plant Care and Plant Styling. I’m so excited about and Danae was nice enough to join me for a conversation around Plant Styling. I… am not so gifted with an eye for design, so this conversation was super informative and left me with lots of great ideas for projects and guidelines for our future home.   In this episode we learn: How and why Danae started Folia Collective Why she decided to create a book focused on plant styling and plant care Danae's personal plant style How to manage "trends" and the pressure to constantly buy new stuff Why style and care need to go to together What Danae's approach to plant style and plant consulting is Maria outs her most embarrassing plant killer story How to take the best instagram shot of your plants... and still have they stay healthy How to match your lifestyle with your plants Why Maria is the greatest planty Marie Kondo Student Danae's plant styling tips   Danae's Tips for Styling Large Plant Collection to look Curated and not Cluttered Choose a unifying theme for your planters (Maria's theme is white and terracotta) Think about how you arrange your plants: varying height, texture and shapes Group plants together (trays are a great way to bring groups together) Stack pots on top of each other to create height. You can flip a pot upside down and put another pot on top   Mentioned in today's episode: Buy Danae's New Book! Houseplants for All: How to Fill Any Home with Happy Plants * *BAGR Amazon Affiliate code*   Thank you to today's episode sponsors! Territorial seed provides high quality seeds and plants (over 2000 varieties) that are tried and tested on their 75 acre farm and have a ton of fall varieties for us to try! For seeds, their online garden planner, how to videos and more visit TerritorialSeed.com and use code BLOOM20 for 20% off.     Espoma Organics: for responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here.         Follow Danae and Folia Collective Buy Danae's New Book! Houseplants for All: How to Fill Any Home with Happy Plants *  http://danaerolynhorst.com/  https://www.instagram.com/danaerolynhorst/  https://foliacollective.com/ https://www.instagram.com/foliacollective/   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Plant Friends WELCOME to the 100th episode of Bloom and Grow Radio. Wow, I can’t believe we are here. 100 episodes over 3 years, when I really thought we might not get past episode 10. I’m humbled, proud and incredibly honored to have been through this journey alongside you. If you’ve been listening, you’ll know that this podcast was such an insane surprise for me. I’m a professional musical theater performer with a degree is in opera, I’ve spent my life as a plant killer, and now here I am, publishing this episode in celebration of 100 times we as a community have shown up to learn and grow together and nerd out about plants and plant care. What?! I’m so thankful to this community for supporting the show with your listens, shares, contributions and engagement. Beyond thankful. So today is going to be a celebration of just that- this beautiful community.   Speaking of community here are some resources I've made for our community to use!   The 2020 Bloom and Grow Radio Listener Survey - Please take 5 minutes to take this survey and let me get to know you! I did this survey 2 years ago and it was INSTRUMENTAL in planning episode topics and community resources. We had 1000 people complete the survey last time, so my goal for this survey is 3000 planty listeners! I can't wait to hear from you! The Bloom and Grow Radio Episode Directory! I realize 100 episodes can be overwhelming for any new listeners here, so I went through our 100 episode bank and categorized each episode based on its category: Plant Care, Nerdy Science Breakdowns, Wellness, Planty Business, Seasonal, DIY projects, Edible Gardening, Lifestyle, People and Food. That way, if you are a newbie to the show and feel overwhelmed at the feed, or even if your and OG listener, you can review whatever genre interests you and make sure you haven’t missed any episodes! I will continue updating the directory every 20 episodes or so so it’s always up to date, and I hope that it helps you continue your plant care and wellness education :) Lastly: there’s an epic party happening on IG this week: I'm going live at 1130 EST everyday with one of our favorite guests: yesterday was Leslie Halleck, today Chris Satch, Wednesday Colah from Black in the Garden, Thursday is Summer Rayne Oakes and Friday is Alessia from Apartmentbotanist. We are doing lives where we will have fun plant show and tells and chat and the week is ending in an EPIC giveaway with current and past sponsors of BAGR. Definetly head to @bloomandgrowradio to partake in that giveaway because it is CRAZY!   Top 10 Lessons Learned from 100 Episodes Plants are an instrument for connection Plants make people happy, but they can also make people overwhelmed and anxious. Understanding Light is the Key to Not Killing Plants Using grow lights is an amazing planty home hack Understanding how to water AKA Drainage and capillary action is the OTHER key to not killing plants Plants are a window to wellness With plants, there is always something new to try, no matter how advanced of a plant parent you are! Moss poles are a great addition to your plant fam Anyone can grow their own food Plants are a great way to help children and those in need     Bloom and Grow Radio Goals for the next 100 episodes! Continue to connect with our community on a deeper level and get to know you better through the new listener survey Spending more time in the private BAGR facebook group Designing new ways to get our community involved, virtually for 2020/2021 and IRL in the future! Learn more about horticultural therapy and food insecurity and figure out how BAGR can contribute meaningfully Grow the brand and business - i feel called to do this full time on a large scale: TV, Book, helping people bloom and grow   What’s clear to me is my role in this plant space is to be a community advocate, to learn alongside you, ask the questions you need answered, and foster relationships virtually or in real life with each other so that we can all grow. I believe caring for plants help develop empathy and kindness, and learning those skills will help us make the world a kinder and greener place, and it’s my calling to help as many people successfully care for plants in order to do that.   Thank you for being alongside me for this beautiful ride. Life looks nothing like what I thought it would when I started this podcast 3 years ago. I’m so thankful for that. My plant friends, I adore you, I wish you the plantiest lives full of growth and happiness and that you, of course, keep blooming and keep growing.   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club       Music used is entitled "Fresh Fallen Snow" composed by - Chris Haugen and is the property of Youtube Music Library. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So thrilled to welcome back Lisa from the Houseplant Guru for an EXTENSIVE chat about the wonderful world of ferns. We discuss why and how they are finicky and how to successfully care for them. We also discuss a fun variety of ferns to try for different personalities and answer a whole bunch of listener questions! Lisa has just published her FOURTH book Houseplant Party, filled with fun planty DIY projects for every type of person! In this episode we learn: Why Ferns are considered finicky Where ferns live in nature and how that affects their ability to thrive indoors How to best replicate their environment indoors Lisas humidity hacks to help ferns thrive Basic fern care: light, water, humidity How to fertilize ferns How to deal with mealybugs and scale with Ferns How "systemic pest control" actually works (I had not idea!) What are SPORES How to identify common fern pests Best ferns for different personalities Lisas favorite ferns to try Staghorn ferns Best watering cans to use Mentioned in this episode: Lisa's new book Houseplant Party! (BAGR Amazon Affiliate Link) https://thehouseplantguru.com/2019/09/17/how-to-care-for-a-birds-nest-fern/ https://thehouseplantguru.com/2011/09/15/great-grandmas-fern/ https://thehouseplantguru.com/2019/03/08/a-fern-for-the-fern-challenged/   Thank you Territorial Seed Company for Sponsoring today's episode! Territorial seed provides high quality seeds and plants (over 2000 varieties) that are tried and tested on their 75 acre farm and have a ton of fall varieties for us to try! For seeds, their online garden planner, how to videos and more visit TerritorialSeed.com and use code BLOOM20 for 20% off.   Instructions for being featured in the 100th episode of Bloom and Grow Radio   Follow Lisa, The Houseplant Guru Website: thehouseplantguru.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseplantguru/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/HouseplantGuru/   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hi Plant Friends! I cant believe the 100th episode of Bloom and Grow Radio is around the corner! Many of you have been around since episode 1, and I'm so honored to have learned alongside you in this three year journey! The 100th episode will be my top 10 lessons learned from 100 episodes! I want this episode to be all about our community and these 100 episodes of learning, so I'd like to feature YOU and hear what YOU have learned from the 100 episode catalogue!   I'd love you to call in and answer the following question to get featured in the 100th episode!   What has been your favorite episode of BAGR and how did it help you and/or what is the top thing you've learned from listening to an episode BAGR?   How fun will it be for our community to share their most important lessons with each other? The episode itself will turn into a community sourced, education tribute to all of our amazing guests.   Here are the instructions for calling in! INSTRUCTIONS:   1) Call (203) 998-0394 2) Say and Spell your name and email at the beginning of the message so I can contact you! 3) Share your favorite episode and lesson learned from BAGR in the voicemail!   TIPS:   - Wear headphones with a microphone (way better sound!) - The google voice only allows for a 3 minute message, so you might want to write out your story, or jot some thoughts down on paper to allow for you to effectively tell your story without getting cut off. - If your story requires more than 3 minutes, you can call back and leave back to back messages.   Deadline to call is Wednesday August 5th, that's only a 5 days window to call your lessons in, so please do so ASAP.   I can't wait to hear from our community and feature your lessons. Thanks for being part of this beautiful journey and I'm honored to learn alongside and grow with you through every episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Plant friends: big announcement, WE’VE MOVED. I’ve been returning to the concept of pruning as I go through many unforeseen changes in life these days, the biggest being that Billy and I have moved out of our tiny NYC apartment in search of adventure and more space. Today I share the science behind pruning, and how it’s been helping me stay present and trust these sudden changes will all work out. I hope it helps you in your transitions and changes of 2020 as well!   My NYC Apartment Tour! 100+ Plants in less than 500 square feet! https://youtu.be/-ahLE_zusrI   FOLLOW MARIA AND BLOOM AND GROW RADIO: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I am SO very excited to welcome Dr Elle Barnes, my teacher for my Intro to Plant Science with NYBG. HOLY MOLY this episode was so fun to record. I took the Intro to Plant Science Course with the NYBG virtually via Zoom during this period of social distancing and what I learned throughout the course blew my mind. Intro to Plant Science might be my most favorite class I’ve taken at NYBG yet. We dive into the basics of all of the processes that make our plant babies thrive and there is just so much to learn. Dr Barnes did such a good job at breaking down difficult plant science topics so even I could understand them that I was having major “aha! moments” every class. I started a running list at the bottom of my notes document titled “aha moments” so I could always refer back to them. That list has now turned into this episode! In today’s chat, I go through the “aha moment” list with Dr Barnes and ask her to help me explain all of these fundamental principals that have helped me understand plant care on such a deeper level. I hope this episode brings you some "aha moments" of your own and helps you and your plant collection to continue to bloom and grow! Please share them with me on Instagram so I can celebrate you! If you are interested in virtual learning opportunities in this period of social distancing check out NYBG at home which is their virtual hub with tons of free resources like videos, plant guides and virtual events and tours of the garden in addition to ALL of their courses that they have moved online. From botanical art classes, to plant science, there is something for everyone.   https://www.nybg.org/nybg-at-home/ NYBG is also opening it's doors back up in July to their members only. After all this isolation I am so excited to get back to the garden. Members will be the first to be able to access the park after reopening, in addition to free admission year round, special discounts and more- so if you are in the NY area, consider becoming a member this year!   In this episode we learn: How Dr Barnes became the Plant Lady scientist she is today What is the difference between Monocots and Dicots How seeds germinate Overview of cellular respiration and photosynthesis Can plants emit too much carbon dioxide that it can harm humans? What is a VOC How plants both emit and absorb VOCs Do plants really clean the air? How dormancy works Modified leaves and what we didn't know about Cacti and Onions Roses don't have thorns, they have prickles! Spines vs thorns vs prickles Flower petals vs sepal The concept of apical dominance and how it affects pruning What an apical bud is What the hormone auxin is and how important it is for our plants growth Why Maple trees in colder climates make sweeter syrup That a tomato is actually not a fruit or a vegetable What is an inflorescence     Thank you to this week's episode sponsor Wallygro! Wallygro, the company behind my beloved Eco Planter Greenwall, has released a new product: Loop! Loop is Wallygro's clever solution to a hanging planter that looks gorgeous and is designed with your plant's health in mind with it's 2 shell system. The inner shell provides 360 degrees of aeration for drainage and airflow and the outer shell insures no leakage.  PLUS Loop is made of recycled water bottles! Wallygro is giving listeners a limited time discount of 15% off with code BLOOMANDGROW15 at wallygro.com.Offer expires August 4th, 2020.   Follow Dr Elle Barnes Twitter:@ecoevoelle   Follow The New York Botanical Garden: IG: www.instagram.com/nybg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYBotanicalGarden/ www.nybg.org   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I’m thrilled to welcome Nadia of Urban Farm Sista to the show today to discuss garden pests and her mission with the Agricademy. Nadia is the plant lady behind several amazing businesses and planty projects including the Urban Farm Sista Educational Social Media Platforms, Quiwi Produce and Agricademy. She graduated from Ohio State in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture where she majored in Animal Sciences/minored in Entomology. Entomology is bugs, plant friends and today we do a DEEP DIVE into the common garden pests and insects that we struggle with and learn how to identify and treat them. I appreciate this conversation with Nadia because she helps us zoom out and understand our gardens as a full ecosystem. In gardening, it's always important to "zoom out" and see the larger picture, this conversation very much illustrates that! Check out the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show!   What we learn: How Nadia became the founder of Quiwi Produce, the Agricademy and Urban Farm Sista Why Nadia chose to get a degree in Entomology (studying insects!) How to differentiate a "good" vs a "bad" insect Zooming out and understanding the garden as an ecosystem and why insects are important Why Hemp is important (beyond CBD and Cannabis) Most common garden pests: how to identify and treat them Aphids and Ants (Minute 36:00) Caterpillars (Minute 48:25) Leaf Beetles (discussed throughout the episode) Leaf Miners (Minute 1:00) Wasps (1:03) Recipe for pest control spray Why and how does Neem oil work What is BT Bacteria What is Diatomaceous Earth Why and how to use Insect Nets Does releasing predatory bugs outdoors work? Nadias non profit: Agricademy Its mission the Food is Essential project Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Aphid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsTTC7CKO2c&feature=youtu.be Recipe for Nadias Neem Spray: Found in her amazing Insect Investigator PDF Bacillus thuringiensis - Information on BT Bacteria Diatamaceous Earth / Flea Beetles - https://youtu.be/PQ222Sa6XXI  Insect Net- She discusses insect nets in her video on Catepillars   Peterson Field Guide to Insects*: Nadia's recommended insect anthology *Bloom and Grow Amazon Affiliate Code*     Thank you to this weeks episode sponsors: Makespace makes storage simple, seamless and affordable without you EVER having to leave your apartment. They pick up, store and return your stuff and provide the packing materials! To learn more, visit makespace.com and use code SPACEPLZ for $100 off! Espoma Organics: for responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here.       Follow Nadia IG: Urbanfarmsista Youtube: Urbanfarmsista Agricademyinc.org Amazon Storefront -https://www.amazon.com/shop/urbanfarmsista     Donate to Farming is Essential Project Website: http://www.agricademyinc.org/farming Gofundme: gf.me/u/xz6muf Facebook Campaign :https://www.facebook.com/donate/885370131959752/?fundraiser_source=external_url Cash App: $agricademyinc Mail Donations to: Agricademy Inc. 8711 Reading Road Cincinnati, OH 45215 (checks payable to Agricademy Inc.)   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.